STREAM EXCLUSIVE ORIGINALS

Gil Scott-Heron Recordings to Be Released as Nothing New LP

XL Recordings announces limited-edition album from 2008 sessions with the late musician.

A collection of Gil Scott-Heron's previous recordings will be released as a limited-edition vinyl album via XL Recordings later this month, reports Billboard

Nothing New is set to drop on Record Store Day, April 19, led by the single "Hold on to Your Dreams." Only 3,000 copies will be released. The project comes from the late poet/musician's 2008 collaboration with producer and XL Recordings owner Richard Russell at New York City's Looking Glass studios. 

Heron and Russell were working together on the Chicago native's final album, I'm New Here, before his death. The recording sessions birthed the forthcoming posthumous release, which was given the green-light by Heron's son, Rumal Rackley. 

“Listening back to the acoustic piano versions of Gil’s old songs that we had captured in New York, I found that they were in themselves remarkable, completely different from the originals, and full of magic in their simplicity,” Russell said. “I realized we in fact had made the album we originally set out to. Gil had carefully curated the selection, so the album serves as an excellent introduction to his previous output."

Nothing New is "utterly sparse" and "devoid of anything that is not completely necessary," according to Russell. The stripped down recordings only feature Heron's singing and playing the piano. 

Heron, who was HIV positive, passed away in 2011 at the age of 62. His official cause of death was never publicized.    

Get ready for the BET Experience, featuring Mary J. BligeMaxwellJill ScottA$AP RockyRick Ross and many more. Click here for more details and info on how to purchase tickets.

BET.com is your #1 source for Black celebrity news, photos, exclusive videos and all the latest in the world of hip hop and R&B music.

Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

(Photo: Gilles Petard/Redferns/Getty Images)

Latest News

Subscribe for BET Updates

Provide your email address to receive our newsletter.


By clicking Subscribe, you confirm that you have read and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge our Privacy Policy. You also agree to receive marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers) and other information from BET and the Paramount family of companies. You understand that you can unsubscribe at any time.